Locking mechanism for cabinet drawers and the like



March 10, 1942.

E. R. HOUSTQN- ETAL LOCKING MECHANISM FOR CABINET DRAWER'S AND THE LIKE INVENTOR5.

Filed Oct. 9, 1939 Patented Mar. 10, 1942 wan? LUCKENG MECHANISM F63 CABENET DRAWERS AND THE LIKE Application Gctobcr 9, 1935), Serial No. 398,6ll7

' (c1. isal) 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to filing devices and more in particular to locking mechanisms for cabinet drawers and the like.

.Among the objects of the present invention is to provide novel locking mechanism for file supports, such as cabinet drawers, which is so constructed and arranged as to be positive in its locking engagement and disengagement, yet so disposed as to eliminate objectionable interference with the filed material in said supports.

In the present design for cabinets of the type herein contemplated, certain locking mechanisms are provided operably to lock the drawers in locked position within the cabinet or the like, such locking mechanisms operating on the principle of directly engaging the expansible front for the drawers. Such arrangements are subject to a number of criticisms, the principal two being that because of the particular arrangement of the said locking means with respect of the front, positive engagement and disengagement cannot be effected and the said locking means are so disposed as to interfere with the filed material in said drawers.

The present invention therefore has proceeded upon the theory of overcoming these two principal objections to present locking mechanisms in devices of the kind herein disclosed, one of the principal objects of the invention being to provide a locking mechanism for file supports which can be positively operated to either locked or unlocked position, thereby assuring proper locking of the drawers at all times and disengagement thereof from the said locking means when it is desired to operate the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel locking mechanism for filing drawers of the type herein contemplated which is so constructed and arranged that the same does not at any time interfere with the filed material.

The invention in one of its embodiments embraces novel locking mechanism which cooperates with expanding mechanism provided for each of the drawers of the filing device, whereby the drawers through their expanding mechanism are looking in closed position.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantages are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed ken away to disclose certain elements thereof morein detail;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the device of Figure 1 at the cut-out portion thereof;

Figure '3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane represented by line 3-3 of Figure 2 of the drawing; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially in the plane represented by line 44 of Fig. 1 of the drawing.

An embodiment selected to illustrate the present invention is shown in the drawing as comprising a cabinet 2 having the top 4 and opposite'ly disposed side walls, such as 6, in which are operatively mounted a plurality of drawers 8 for holding filed material.

Each of the drawers 8 is of like construction and comprises a bottom support I!) and oppositely disposed side walls, such as it, as well .as a front panel It :hinged as at it to the bottom it) whereby the front is expansibly mounted about the said hinge it to facilitate manipulation of the files disposed between the said front and a follower (not disclosed), all of which mechanism is fully shown in acopending application Serial No. 298,604, filed October 9, 1939, and which issue-d on February 18, 1941, as Patent No. 2,232,531. The follower of each of the drawers is moved in accordance with the movement of the front panel it through expanding mechanism, generally referred to as it, and as shown in the drawing comprises cheeks 2t movably mounted adjacent the side walls l2 and each of which I cheeks: is connected by suitable means to the said follower adjacent the rear portion thereof and at the front end .to a link 22 pivoted as at 24 to lever 2t pivotally mounted as at 2% to the side wall l2 of the drawer, and which lever 26 is pivoted as at 30 to a lever 32" which in turn is pivoted as at 36 to a wing member 36. extending laterally and rearwardly from adjacent the marginal edge of the front panel is.

In the embodiment disclosed, the link 32 is provided with an extension 3% beyond pivot point 3 9, which extension is formed with a locking lug it extending laterally from'wing member 3% and 5 being operable within a slot 42 provided in the side wall l2 below the upper edge thereof. It will therefore be apparent, that upon outward movement of the front panel is about its hinge point I 6, the locking lug to will operate substantially throughout the length of slot 42 and that when held in a position representing the limit of its rearward movement in said slot, the

expansible front I4 cannot be moved about its hinge l6, nor is it possible to operate expanding mechanism l8 which in turn controls expansion of the follower.

The present invention further comprehends suitable locking mechanism providing a common locking means for a plurality of these drawers, the same comprising a locking bar 44 vertically disposed in associated relation with a side wall 6 of the cabinet and pivoted adjacent the ends thereof through hinge connections, such as 46, secured to suitable bracket means, such as 48. Connected to this locking bar 44 adjacent each of the drawers of the device and in line with the movement of the locking lugs 40 thereof are locking. triggers 50 secured as at 52 to the said locking bar 44 whereby the same are engageable, through ends 54, with the said locking lugs 40 upon swinging movement of the same in accordance with movement of the locking bars 44 from a position represented in dotted lines in Figure 3 to a position represented by full lines in Figure 3- Operative swinging movement of the locking bar 44 is effected through a cam follower 55 connected to the locking bar 44 adjacent its upper end and which cam follower is operatively associated with a cam member '58 mounted in respect of bracket 48 through slot 60 and through member 62 is connected to collar 64 which embraces the cylinder 66 of locking device 68. This locking device is provided with an opening 10 accessible exteriorly of the filing cabinet for receiving the bit of a key which, through suitable tumblers in the cylinder 66, is adapted to operate pin 12 engageable with the said collar 64. Cam 58 and the locking device 68 are normally urged into unlocking position by way of a spring 14 connected at one end to bracket 48 and at its other end to earn member 58.

As shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, cam 58 is provided with cam projections 16 and 18 between which is a recess 80, the device in said figure showing the operative relation of the cam 58 to the cam follower 56 and its connected looking bar 44 in their locking position to effect an engagement between the triggers 50 with their respective lugs 40, this position being maintained through pin 12 and the operative association of cam projection 16 with the bar 44. Upon inserting the proper key into the opening 10, pin 12 is retracted from its engagement with collar 64 whereby cam 53, under the impulse of spring 14, is moved outwardly. Outward movement of cam 58 causes projection 18 to engage cam follower 56 to swing the locking bar 44 about its hinge points 46 into a position corresponding to that indicated in dotted lines of Figure 3 of the drawing. Release of lugs 40 with their respective triggers 50 permits movement of the drawers outwardly and an expansion of the drawer fronts, which expansion, through the medium of the expanding mechanisms [8, causes an expansion of the followers thereof.

An embodiment of the present invention hereinabove described embraces an arrangement of the various locking elements for the drawer which are out of the path of movement of the filed material contained therein so that there is no danger of displacing or injuring the same in any way. Furthermore, the association of elements of the present locking mechanism is such that a positive disengagement of the elements is effected upon operation thereof to unlocked position.

Furthermore, the mechanism described herein provides an effective locking of the expansible mechanism for the drawer front and the follower, thus preventing displacement of the filed material when the said drawer is in its locked position.

While we have herein described and upon the drawing shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a filing device, the combination of side walls, a file support operatively mounted between said side walls, said support having side walls and an expansible front, one of said side walls of said support having a slot, a locking lug carried by said front and operable in said slot, and locking means associated with the adjacent side wall of the device operable to engage said lug for locking said file support in its closed position.

2. In a filing device, the combination of side walls, a file support operatively mounted between said side walls, said support having an expansible front provided with a wing member, said wing member having a locking lug, and locking means associated with the adjacent side wall of the device operable to engage said lug for locking said file support in its closed position.

3. In a filing device, the combination of side walls, a file support operatively mounted between said side walls, said support having side walls and an expansible front, one of said side walls of said support having a slot, said front being provided with a wing member adjacent said slot, said wing member having a locking lug operable in said slot, and locking means associated with the adjacent side wall of the device operable to engage said lug for locking said file support in its closed position.

4. In a filing device, the combination of side walls, a file support operatively mounted between said side walls, said support having an expansible front, an operating lever connected to said front, and locking means associated with the adjacent side wall of the device operable to engage said lever for locking said file support in its closed position.

5. In a filing device, the combination of side walls, a file support operatively mounted between said side walls, said support having side walls and an expansible front, one of said side walls h-aving a slot, an operating lever connected to said front and having a part operable in said slot, and locking means associated with the adjacent side wall of the device operable to engage said-part for locking said file support in its closed position.

6. In a filing device, the combination of side walls, a file support operatively mounted between said side walls, said support having side walls and an expansible front, one of said side walls having a slot, said expansible front having a wing member operable adjacent said slot, an operating lever connected to said wing member and having a part operable in said slot, and locking means associated with the adjacent side wall of the device operable to engage said part for locking said file support in its closed position.

ELMER R. HOUSTON. JOSEPH F. DACHLET.

JOSEPH LEO HAUSER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. 7 Patent No. 2,276,197. March 10,-19h2.

ELMER R. HOUSTON, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: In the heading to\ the printed specification, line 8 thereof, for the serial number "598,607" read --298, 607"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

. Signed and sealed this 28th day of April, A. D. 19L 2.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

